UNC Charlotte announces opening date, new location for lab school

After a one-year delay due to lower than expected enrollment, UNC Charlotte’s new public elementary school will open to students in August 2020 at the former Amay James Pre-K Center.

The new school, dubbed Niner University Elementary after UNC Charlotte’s mascot, will be the first “lab school” in Charlotte. It is the sixth in the state to be created under a 2016 legislative initiative that seeks to pair UNC system universities with students at low-performing public schools.

“We’ve spent the last year refining an already strong academic program and plan of support for our students and families,” Pamela Broome, the school’s principal, said in a statement. “We are thrilled to open Niner University Elementary at Amay James and look forward to working with and in this historic Charlotte community.”

Originally, the school was slated to open in August 2019, but UNC Charlotte pushed back the opening this summer after its recruitment efforts came up shorter than expected. The site of the school also changed, moving from a renovated wing of James Martin Middle School to its current site at Amay James.

In addition to using Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ facilities, Niner University Elementary will receive other support services from the public school district, including transportation and meals, though it will be independently operated by UNC Charlotte.

Currently, East Carolina University, Western Carolina University, Appalachian State University, UNC Greensboro and UNC Wilmington operate other lab schools in the state.

The school expects to enroll 150 students in kindergarten through second grade in its first year, and plans to add an additional grade level each year until 2024, when it will serve 300 students at capacity through fifth grade.

Admissions to the school will be conducted on first-come, first-serve basis. Eligible students must either be struggling at their current school or be assigned to one of a list of low-performing schools in CMS.

Cato College of Education faculty and staff members helped design the school’s curriculum. The learning environment will focus on early childhood literacy and project-based instruction. The school will also take a “whole child” approach, emphasizing social emotional learning and mental health support, including play therapy.

The school will also offer a training opportunity for future teachers, providing junior year internships to UNC Charlotte students as well as research opportunities for faculty members across departments.

“We have a few important priorities including training the teachers of tomorrow and serving our community,” Teresa Petty, interim dean of the Cato College of Education, said in a statement. “We don’t just study theory, we bring it to life through practice and Niner University Elementary is a great example of this model in action.”